How to run walk-in advising with online scheduling

Students show up with urgent questions, no time to wait, and little patience for a long line. You want fairness, privacy, and a quick way to connect each student with the right person. Walk-in advising is great for access, but it can get messy without a clear system.

Online scheduling can make walk-in hours feel calm and predictable. You can control the queue, keep your calendar up to date, and cut back on the chaos that comes with peak weeks. In this guide, you will learn how to run walk-in advising with online scheduling, including exact settings to use, how to handle triage, and what to do when demand spikes.

You will also see how Doodle helps advisors and counselors manage drop-ins, same-day appointments, and group sessions. With Doodle, your calendar stays protected, students book open slots only, and reminders go out on time. You can focus on the conversation, not the line.

The challenge facing Advisors & Counselors professionals

Advising traffic is uneven. The first week of classes, add drop deadlines, FAFSA changes, and graduation checks bring a crush of students. Then it slows. Without a plan, you get:

• Long lines that frustrate students and staff

• No-shows that waste limited advising time

• Repeats from the same students who return for simple questions

• Privacy concerns when check-in happens at a crowded front desk

• Burnout when walk-ins spill into your blocked time

You need a system that respects student time and protects your focus. It must be simple for students and flexible for your team. It should handle in-person and virtual drop-ins without confusion.

Why this matters for Advisors & Counselors

Walk-in advising is often the first touchpoint for at-risk students. A clear, fair process can improve:

• Access: Students get a slot the same day, without guessing

• Equity: First come first served is fair when everyone sees the same queue

• Throughput: Short, focused visits move more students through during rush hours

• Data: You can see patterns by topic and adjust staffing or outreach

• Staff wellness: Fewer interruptions and fewer crowd-control tasks

When you manage walk-in advising with online scheduling, you create a better student experience and a healthier workload for advisors.

Build your walk-in model with online scheduling

There is no one way to run walk-ins. The best model depends on your staff size, space, and student needs. Below are three proven setups, each with exact Doodle tools and settings to try.

Model 1: Same-day time slots with a live queue

Best for academic advising centers and career offices during peak weeks.

Use Doodle Sign-up Sheets to create same-day slots with limited seats. Students pick a slot, you see the live list, and you call names as seats open.

How to set it up:

1. Create a Sign-up Sheet called Walk-in Advising Today.

2. Add 10 to 15 minute slots across your walk-in hours.

3. Set seats per slot to 1 if each advisor sees one student at a time. Set seats higher if multiple advisors can take students in parallel.

4. Turn on deadlines and set it to close each slot 5 minutes before start time.

5. In the description, tell students where to wait, what to bring, and who to contact for urgent cases.

6. Use Hide participant details if you want to protect names on public screens.

7. Assign a QR code at the front desk that links to the Sign-up Sheet.

Pro tip: During crush periods, add a few overflow seats labeled Quick Questions. These are reserved for graduation checks, PIN resets, or course add errors that take less than 5 minutes.

Model 2: Rolling 1 to 1 check-ins

Best for counseling centers and advising teams that want more control over intake.

Use Doodle 1:1 to publish a shortlist of same-day times for each advisor. Students pick a time, the system confirms, and the meeting lands on your calendar.

How to set it up:

1. Create a 1:1 event called Same-Day Walk-in with [Advisor Name].

2. Offer multiple short slots, for example 15 minutes with a 5 minute buffer.

3. Connect Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams if you also support virtual drop-ins.

4. Write a clear description with visit types, check-in steps, and when to return if late.

5. Turn on reminders, for example 1 hour and 10 minutes before the meeting.

6. Use Doodle’s calendar connection so busy times are removed automatically.

Pro tip: If your center charges for some counseling services or private coaching, add Stripe to 1:1 so payment is collected when students book. This removes payment at the desk and keeps the line moving.

Model 3: Fixed blocks with a Booking Page

Best for small offices with one or two advisors who want guaranteed focus time.

Use Doodle Booking Page to publish set walk-in blocks. Students book any open time within those blocks, and everything else stays private on your calendar.

How to set it up:

1. Create a Booking Page called Walk-in Hours for This Week.

2. Define blocks, for example Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m.

3. Set meeting length to 10 to 20 minutes based on your average need.

4. Add a buffer of 5 minutes for notes and transitions.

5. Use custom branding if you want your school colors and logo on the page.

6. Add a note that late arrivals may be asked to rebook, which helps you keep the day on track.

Pro tip: Add a second Booking Page for Virtual Walk-ins so students choose the right format. Connect Zoom or Teams to add a video link without extra steps.

Practical tips for smooth walk-in advising

Small process changes make a big difference. Use these tactics to keep the day predictable.

• Post a QR code at the door

• Triage with short prompts

• Use capacity smartly

• Keep visits short and focused

• Set reminders that work

• Offer both in-person and virtual

• Close the queue when full

• Use group time for common needs

Intake and privacy, the right way

• Keep names off public screens

• FERPA-friendly reminders

• No desk lists with full names

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too few slots during peak weeks

• Long slots for quick questions

• Mixed systems that confuse students

• No clear late policy

• Zero buffer time

Tools and solutions for Advisors & Counselors

Doodle gives you simple tools that fit the way advising teams work. Here is how each one helps walk-in advising.

• Booking Page

• Sign-up Sheet

• 1:1

• Group Poll

• Calendar integrations

• Video conferencing

• Payments with Stripe

• Reminders and deadlines

• Privacy controls

• Branding and instructions

• Zapier connection

Real-world examples from advising teams

Academic advising during add drop week

Challenge: Long lines and late nights Solution: Sign-up Sheet with QR code and Quick Questions Result: 10-minute average wait, improved student experience

Counseling center same-day triage

Challenge: Phone intake overload Solution: Doodle 1:1 with short slots and video linksResult: Predictable triage and fast follow-ups

Career center internship rush

Challenge: Resume review bottleneck Solution: Sign-up Sheet plus Group Polls for overflow Result: More students helped in less time

Key takeaways

• Short, focused slots keep walk-in advising moving

• A clear queue cuts stress and improves fairness

• Use the right Doodle tool for each part of the process

• Connect calendars and video to avoid overlap

• Reminders and triage prompts reduce drop-offs

Get started with better scheduling

You can run calm, fair walk-in advising with online scheduling. Start with one model, pick clear settings, and share one link or QR code. Doodle gives advisors and counselors the tools to manage queues, protect calendars, and meet students where they are.

Create a Doodle account and set up your first walk-in session today. Try Sign-up Sheets for your queue, a Booking Page for drop-in blocks, or 1:1 for same-day matches. See how many hours you save each week when your scheduling runs itself.

Ready to begin? Create a Doodle at https://doodle.com/create-doodle and make your next walk-in hour your easiest one yet.